Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-10-28
The Public Schools.
GoBBLER's CREEK, Oct. 9th. 1857

GoBBLER's CREEK, Oct. 9th, 1857.
We have already alluded to the former
superlntendents of tbs county. These
men endeavored by all the means in their
power to promote the welfare Of the
schools, but we're moro consistent in their
official actions. Both tried their utmost
TO rid the profession Of those teachers who
imbibed too freely of "the flowing bowl"
II was noticed, however that neither IN
obliged themselves, for no superintendent
who loves one glass of beer can blame the
teacher who loves tro. 1t is alright for
superintendent to enforce rigidly temper
auce and morality as a test of issuing
certificate. 1t is surely the right thing TO
do. Since there are more than enough
teachers for our schools ii is no longer
necessary to place a drunkard over
set Of pupils, and all Of this stamp can be
and should be weeded out But surely
superintendent could not refuse a certf-
/ cate to a teacher who had gotten on a
"bust, ," il the first glass Of the "bust' had
been drank with the superintendent Of
schools Such has not been the case to
our knowledge, but is possible under the
present conditions of things. We well
| know that the law gives the superinten-
dent the right TO revoke certificates. The
certificate itself shows this right, but We
can not find any passage of the law max
/ ing it the duty Of the superintendent, or
even giving him the right to seek for evil
dence to revoke certificate, and yet 1t
seems this one has done so. A teacher of
the county showed us private letter from
a friend Of his in another part Of the coun-
ty, in which was the following extract
r9bdim ct punctuation "The great Nc
/ Inturff was here last week and left the
edct - and - need not apply for GER
tifcates, and, if can, will revoke that
of IS. am seeking for evidence
The names OF the teachers are withheld
Tor reasons apparent to all. The teacher
whose certificate the report said was in
danger Of being revoked, tried since TO get
a chance to ask the superintendent II the
report were true, and declared that If lie
should have received an affirmative an
swer that he would have accommodated
him with large quantity of "evidence"
IN the shape Of contempt Of court" or
words to that effect. However, the OPP
portuuity was not given him and he has
gotten over his little pet, and having Sc
cured good school will teach one more
winter, without any favor or thanks asked
or given and will then snap his blrch-rod
in two. surrender up his certificate and
embark in fairer profession than training
the young idea to shoot. Ho begs me
/ say, however, that if it really DO true that
| the superintendent wants his certificate,
if he will drop him postal to that effect
/ that he will forward the certificate by re-
| turn mail and mo questions asked" Tho
teachers of a decade ago are fast leaving
the profession. Scarcely a corporaps guard
Of the old Vets can be found in the ranks
any more, all owing to the crippled condi-
/ tion of the schools, made largely so by
school officials. The average county school
board is composed Of good men, n en- OF
good business capacity, ability, etc. They
are, however, serving without money and
without price, and are as destitute Of
knowledge as 10 what is advantageous 10
tine free schools az the average teacher
would be as to their respective avoca-
tons Look at it little. The school
board IL composed of merchants, doctors,
farmers, clerks, brickmakers, etc. Now,
these men meet together and pass on text
books and rules for the teacher and the
schools Turn the thing around and let a
board Of teachers be appointed who shall
say what goods the merchant shall buy
and how he shall sell them. Let them say
what drugs shall be used by the physi
clan and prescribe tho limits and circum-
stances in which they may be used. Let
the farmer be compelled to look to a
board Of school teachers TO know what
breed Of stock he shall raise and how
much aud what kind Of phosphate and seed
he shall SOW. Let him harvest his crops
with the machinery the teachers shall
order Let teachers choose the tools and
materials which the mechanic shall use
and compel him TO use these tools and
materials and no other. Let all this be
done and done gratis by n board of school
teachers who shall annually meet in
Woodstock, paying their way to and from,
and boarding themselves while there
How does it look A little queer, does IL
not Yet this Is exactly what is being
done, year by year with tho teacher. Men
who know nothing whatever Of teaching,
whose business forbids even the visiting
OF schools long enough to learn anything
whatever of { ext books or teachers, are
required TO say what books shall be used
and pass all regulations concerning the
government Of the schools Of the county.
A trustee once visited the undersigned's
school and IN ade great many suggestions
as TO the management Of the school and
required sonic changes of no small impor-
lance to be made A few weeks after hav-
ing had occ ason to visit the trustee at his
place OF business we also offered sugges-
tons Gin a mild way as to changes which
in our Judgment would have benefited
him. Before getting along far, however,
he gave us to understand that with his
experience in his business he could see ia
attending to 1t himself without any aid
from bIisy-body of a teacher, who knew
nothing OF the business anyway. Teach
ing will ever be a comparatively fruitless
tisk until Office rs are paid to attend 10 the
direction Of the schools, and paid sucf
salaries as VIII justify their studying the
system.
Enough IL as good as feast" and We
have said en- ough for this time. We viii
call again. Good bye,
o. +. T.
1IasOnIc NOIIce,
Cassia l. odge, No. 142, L. A. NJ. meets II